Work Text:
It’s late afternoon, and the sky is that orange hue it's seen just minutes before sunset. The campus is bustling; the last afternoon classes ended a short while ago, so many students are leaving the buildings. Groups of friends wander absentmindedly among the cars, and the university bus stops are starting to fill up. There’s the sound of laughter and conversation, and a cold breeze heralds the coming of night.
Jooyeon walks calmly through the art department, waving to a few familiar faces. It’s been at least 15 minutes since Seungmin’s message, letting him know he’s waiting for him outside. It’s Friday, and Jooyeon is more than happy to see his boyfriend after a busy week. They have the whole weekend to spend together, just being, without a care in the world.
As soon as he reaches the side of one of the buildings in the parking lot, he can see Seungmin.
The older guy is leaning against his motorcycle, one hand stuffed in the pocket of his dark jacket; the wind lightly ruffles the dark strands of his hair. The overall picture: a handsome guy with a cool motorcycle is enough to turn heads. Jooyeon kind of loves seeing Seungmin like this every time Oh picks him up after class.
This time, however, Seungmin isn’t alone.
Jooyeon doesn’t recognize the guy right away. He isn’t one of Seungmin’s close friends from his class, let alone one of their mutual friends. In any case, it doesn’t matter. What really matters is why that guy is leaning so close to Seungmin? Why all those giggles whenever Seungmin says anything? Why is he touching Oh on the shoulder with that annoying frequency, as if he were close enough to do that?
Jooyeon clenches his jaw without realizing it.
He can’t be sure, but that guy seems to be actively trying to flirt with Seungmin, and Jooyeon knows his boyfriend well enough to know that he hasn’t noticed the guy’s supposed ulterior motives. Seungmin, as is typical of his personality, smiles politely and seems genuinely engaged in whatever they’re talking about.
Jooyeon loves that about him: his kindness, the attention he always gives to people, and the ease with which he can talk about anything with anyone. But right now, with that man, whom he doesn’t know, touching Seungmin on the shoulder for the fourth time in a row, something hot and unpleasant begins to pound in his chest. A childish unease. A feeling that Jooyeon hates with all him might but which he can’t help at this moment.
Jealousy.
That feeling always seems ridiculous when it comes up, because rationally there’s no reason to be jealous. Even so, that annoying little demon keeps poking at his stomach every time he sees the guy smiling a little too close.
Then Seungmin’s eyes finally meet his across the parking lot. The polite smile on his face is replaced by that sweet, gentle smile, which is reserved exclusively for Jooyeon. That alone is enough to ease the irritating tightness in his chest a little. Jooyeon’s previously serious expression melts away in a second; a smile comes automatically, one of those that only exist because of Seungmin.
Jooyeon adjusts his backpack and starts walking toward them. His steps are heavy, as if he were crossing a battlefield, and that mere thought alone makes him want to roll his eyes at himself. The thought of wanting to somehow mark his territory sounds ugly in his head; it’s petty and insecure. Jooyeon knows that Seungmin would never give him any reason to feel this way, but he can’t help the feeling in his stomach when he sees a stranger trying to hit on his boyfriend.
When he gets close to Seungmin, the first thing he notices is that the jacket the older guy is wearing is his. Actually, it was. Seungmin snatched the jacket from his closet one day when he was in a hurry before class and never gave it back. Anyway, the jacket seems to look much better on Oh.
He stands next to his boyfriend. His hand slides around his waist automatically, his fingers gripping firmly through the jacket, pulling him ever so slightly closer. Seungmin immediately turns his body slightly toward him, almost unconsciously, as if sensing his presence even before the touch.
“You took your time today!” Seungmin says, pouting.
“I was talking to a classmate about the project, sorry.”
“Your bass?”
“In the rehearsal room, I don’t want to hear about it this weekend.”
Only about you.
He almost lets it slip, but his mind still has some sense of awareness, remembering that they’re being watched. Jooyeon then turns his gaze to the guy; he really has no idea which of Seungmin’s social circles he belongs to.
The guy takes two steps back, as if Jooyeon’s presence there were causing a barrier to grow around Seungmin. His eyes quickly drop to Jooyeon’s hand on Seungmin’s waist before returning to his face.
“Ah, you must be Jooyeon.”
Jooyeon smiles politely, trying to appear friendly.
“That’s me. And you would be…?”
The guy says his name, but the sound is erased from Jooyeon’s memory the very next moment. His senses seem to ignore everything except Seungmin by his side and the way he looks so comfortable in his arms. His thumb begins to absentmindedly stroke Seungmin’s waist; Jooyeon doesn’t realize how his body is acting almost beyond his control.
But Seungmin notices. He knows Jooyeon isn’t really the type to show affection in public, so all that movement starts to make sense when he catches Lee’s gaze directed at his classmate.
Jooyeon can see the sparkle in Seungmin’s eyes and the dangerously amused expression slowly appearing on his face. He knows that expression all too well: It's the look Seungmin makes when he figures something out before anyone else.
Damn.
“We were talking about our geoprocessing teacher,” the guy comments, still trying to keep the conversation going. “Seungmin said that…”
“Professor Park, the one who almost put you in a coma last class?” Jooyeon asks Seungmin, cutting the other guy off. He doesn’t want to be rude, but the mention of the professor makes him remember that specific incident.
Seungmin quickly turns his head toward him, giving Jooyeon a light slap on the chest.
“Hey!”
Jooyeon laughs.
“What? You texted me saying, ‘If that man turns off one more light, I’m going to die in here.’”
His classmate laughs. Seungmin lets out a defeated sigh as he runs his hand over his face, clearly trying to hide his embarrassment.
“I hate you.”
“No, you don't.”
The reply comes quickly, causing Seungmin to bite the corner of his mouth to hide a smile.
And it’s exactly at that moment that the other guy seems to realize his role as a mere bystander there. He flashes a small, somewhat awkward smile.
“I’m going to head out then. I think I’m holding you guys up.”
“You really are,” Jooyeon replies before even thinking.
He presses his lips together, not knowing where to hide his face. He handed Seungmin ammunition on a silver platter.
Silence.
Seungmin looks a bit taken aback for a few seconds, but Jooyeon notices, from the way he bites his lower lip, that his boyfriend is holding back the urge to laugh.
The guy, however, lets out a surprised laugh, clearly impressed by Jooyeon’s raw honesty.
“Okay… then I’ll see you in the next class, hyung.”
“See you then,” Seungmin replies calmly.
Jooyeon just nods once as he watches the boy finally walk away through the parking lot.
The silence between them lasts exactly two seconds. Seungmin leans against the motorcycle, and Jooyeon seems too embarrassed to look him in the eye.
“'You really are?'"
Jooyeon closes his eyes tightly, as if that would make the whole situation disappear. Seungmin’s fingers hook onto the loops of Jooyeon’s pants, pulling him closer.
“You were practically growling at him.”
“That’s an exaggeration.”
“Lee Jooyeon.”
“He was standing too close to you.”
The words slip out before he can stop them. He wants to bury his head in the ground. He’s annoyed with himself, and it’s genuinely frustrating that he let it slip out loud like that.
Seungmin stares at him in silence for a few seconds. Then he starts to smile slowly; it’s not a mocking smile, it’s gentle and almost affectionate. As if he genuinely finds it cute.
Jooyeon immediately makes a face.
“Don’t make that face, Seungmin.”
“What face?”
“That one. Like that’s supposed to be funny.”
“It kind of is.”
Jooyeon lets out a weary sigh before simply leaning forward and resting his forehead against Seungmin’s shoulder, like someone deeply defeated by his own dignity. Seungmin laughs, his hand automatically rising to the back of Jooyeon’s neck, and his fingers slowly glide through the light strands of his hair in a gentle caress.
"I love it when my puppy wants to mark his territory."
Jooyeon lets out a moan; he wants to go home and hide for the rest of the day.
“I hate myself.”
That only makes Seungmin laugh harder. And the worst part is that Jooyeon can feel his chest gradually relaxing at the sound.
“I love you,” Seungmin whispers in his ear.
And Jooyeon completely melts right there, in his boyfriend’s hands.